Tuesday, March 31, 2009

i am completely obsessed with making these little fabric eggs. i was trolling for new blogs the other day and came across "retro mama" where she posts a tutorial for the eggs here. they use up your little scraps of fabric and are so easy to make that i just can't help myself. she uses a 1/4 inch seam allowance, but i found that sewing at 3/8 inch makes the size more in line with an actual egg.

i found the fabulous frog prince plate at tjmaxx last weekend for $2!!! i couldn't help including it into a post :)

Sunday, March 22, 2009

today i found time to finish amy butler's weekender bag. the weather was so nice that my little munchkins played outside rather than at my feet which gave me the peace and quiet i needed. i love it so much and feel i have crossed over a sewing hurdle with its completion. i bought the fabric at a remnant warehouse sale, so my only regret is that i did not have enough to match up the pattern on the front.

this one was a doozy i tell you. in some places you have to literally sew through a half inch thick wad of fabric. i wasn't sure if my little sewing machine was going to make it, but a few hours and 2 heavy duty sewing machine needles later, make it it did.

now i'm off to set the picnic table for dinner - a girl's work is never done :)

Saturday, March 21, 2009

it has only taken me roughly 8 months, but this project is finally finished. well, not exactly 8 months of solid work time, but 8 months of it sitting in the corner of the room waiting for me to work on it. i have always wanted to try upholstering with tacks and this was the perfect project for me to experiment on. i rescued the ottoman frame from the trash man, took it home and painted it a high gloss white. then i covered it in batting and fabric left over from another household project. next, i used a bright yellow polka dot fabric for the piping to lighten up the piece. at the same time, i created a pillow for the top out of 4 inch foam.then came the fun part of using the tacks. i ordered french nailhead trim from here and couldn't be happier with how simple they were to adhere. anyone know why they are called french??? i thought i would need a rubber hammer, but your standard issue garage hammer worked perfectly without denting the tacks.

all in all, i am pretty happy with this project and ecstatic that it is finished. the ottoman turned out too large for the space i had envisioned it for, so now it is sitting back in the corner of the room waiting for a purpose. i guess when you dumpster dive, you can't be picky about size!

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

do you ever feel like your lists go on for days? there are so many things that i want to do for my business, so many accomplishments that i want to check off the list, however i keep finding that time is not on my side.

but then there are the extras that i am so excited about, but either can't find the time to devote to them or don't know where to start. such as...- twitter (www.linwoodavenue.twitter.com)- call stores for local distribution- investigate the local expo mart- work on book idea- and basically create more inventory!

that's it in a nutshell. easy, right? would anyone like to volunteer to be my nanny or housekeeper. i could pay you in some really amazing lamps :)

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

to say i am excited is an understatement. i just ordered these from here and i can't wipe the smile off my face. i was at a friends house a few weeks ago and saw that her daughter had the cutest pair of skates, complete with a huge pink pom pom. yes, she is 7, but it didn't stop me from wanting my own pair.

then at my monthly girls game night, we got on the subject of roller skates and i found out that many of my friends have the same dreams of lacing up skates again. i used to be good, really good, maybe my memory is a bit foggy, but i definitely remember aspiring to be a roller derby girl! what do you think, would you buy some skates again, will you laugh at me if you pass me skating down the road???

Sunday, March 8, 2009

spring is definitely in the air and i couldn't be more excited. the thought of throwing open all the windows in my house and letting the breeze blow in fills me with such joy. i, like many people i know, get into a rut in the january and february months. those months are filled with cold weather, no exciting holidays and a general laziness of spirit. but then comes the warm weather, fresh cut flowers, yard sales, etc., etc., etc... i simply cannot wait. in the meantime, i need to finish up all my previously started projects to make room for the new ones i somehow commit myself to taking on.

check out www.linwoodavenue.etsy.com... lots of new goodies to brighten your home.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

i feel like i am finally back into the etsy groove. there is definitely a balance to this whole thing. take lots of photos, post lots of items, but spread out your postings. this is something i did not realize at first. i loaded all my wares at once and they just sat and sat. i am now fully on board with listing a new item once every few days.

i have talked about my dual life as a graphic designer and it helps me out so much with my current endeavor. i want to help crafters understand that you are not just selling a product, you are selling a whole brand. if your artwork is beautiful, but the look of your shop is not tied together, it reflects on the brand. it is like going to an interview in your pajamas. i am a firm believer in having one logo and one logo only, stick with a color scheme, type in all caps, use the same descriptive word over and over, whatever it is, stick with it and don't veer off path. i know i take it to the extreme, i even dress myself in Linwood Avenue colors on festival days, but a good brand will do wonders for your business.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

i can't believe that it is actually snowing in atlanta. snowing and sticking in march! whenever someone asks me if i love living in atlanta, i say that i do, but that i really miss the snow from my pittsburgh childhood. it makes me sad that my kids don't know what it is like to play all day in the snow until you can't feel your nose anymore. they will never slide plastic bags on their feet before they put their boots on for that extra waterproofing you need on a sledding day. they have been so excited since this wonder starter a few hours ago. but funny enough, they don't even want to go play in it because they say they are cold...go figure! so we will stay inside today and drink hot chocolate and dream of warmer weather :)

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welcome!

i'm tiffin mills and on a weekly basis you will find a bit of art, tutorials otherwise known as make-it's, flowers, thrifting goodness, decorating and party planning among other random things thrown in here and there. thanks for visiting my home on LINWOOD AVENUE and i hope to see you again soon.